Shoshone County officials discuss future plans Pt. 1

WALLACE –– Now that Election Day has come and gone, what can the residents of Shoshone County expect from their recently elected officials?  

Prosecuting Attorney Benjamin Allen, who ran unopposed, has been exceptionally busy over the past few years. With area law enforcement doing a solid job attacking crime in the county and its cities, Allen’s office has had the tremendous task of prosecuting these crimes and keeping the public safe.  

“My primary goal for this upcoming year is to get the attorney base in my office to full staff,” Allen said. “Staffing attorneys has been an issue that has plagued the area since my last election and continues to be an issue here in Shoshone. Staffing can be impacted by a number of factors, most notable of which is workforce availability. When positions require prerequisite credentials, such as that of an attorney where both a doctorate degree in law and passage of the State Bar Exam serve as gatekeepers to the profession, the pool of potential applicants narrows significantly.” 

According to Allen, the number of available attorneys who fit the requirements are at historically low numbers – Which makes enticing them to come to Shoshone County difficult, given the county’s lower wage scale compared to other public entities or private sector work. 

Despite those challenges, Allen is undeterred in his goal of maintaining a safer Shoshone County. According to Allen, the county has made significant strides in curbing issues like the national drug epidemic the country has found itself in, but more work is needed.  

“This effort requires collaboration between law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, and the public at large,” Allen said. “During the next four years, I hope to see our community continue to place a high priority on removing drugs from our valley and doing our part in intercepting the trafficking trade which fuels the illicit drug market that supplies our area.”  

Recent staff turnover and a changing of the guard throughout the county’s elected officials have added a few wrinkles to Allen’s office, which represents the county in its legal matters as well as prosecuting the county’s criminals. Allen hopes that the county can reach a place of stability within its employees and elected officials, which would allow experience and expertise to grow throughout.  

“During the past few years, there has been a significant amount of turnover among elected officials at the local government level across the state,” Allen said. “Recent statistics compiled by the Idaho Association of Counties noted roughly a 50% 2-year turnover rate among County Commissioners, one of the highest rolling averages in recent history. Shoshone County has fell right into script with this statistic, essentially seeing a reset among many public offices. I hope that the current group of local elected officials will find the support needed from their community to foster a desire to stay in public service so that the elected leaders within our valley can begin collaborating to prioritize long-term planning for the future of our community.”  

Melissa Cowles is one of those new faces that Allen hopes will come in, do a good job, and earn the community’s long-term trust and support. In May, Cowles won her Primary Election against incumbent Tracy Casady for the spot of District 1 Commissioner.  

While Cowles doesn’t have any prior experience holding a public office, she has worked in government – Working closely with various agencies during the ongoing cleanup efforts throughout the Bunker Hill Superfund Project.  

Cowles doesn’t want to come in hot, but her plans after taking office in January are to familiarize herself with the county’s employees and departments. She’s expressed a desire to understand how they all interact and work with one another. 

“I believe the most important goal is to meet with each department, introduce myself, and learn how each one functions along with what issues they may face on a daily basis,” Cowles said. “I hope to establish a good line of communication with all departments to avoid any misconceptions that could arise.”  

During her campaign, Cowles was vocal about her desire to effect change for the betterment of taxpayers, while also keeping an open line of communication with the public.  

“I want an open-door policy with all who reside in Shoshone County so that they can express their concerns, when necessary,” Cowles said. “Also, I would like to educate the public more in-depth with issues as they become known as well as budgetary restraints that the county may face at any given time.” 

The county’s budget has been a hot-button issue for the past 16 months, with reported clerical errors leading many to believe the county was facing a multi-million shortfall. This led to budget cuts and even a shift in pay structures. However, it was also discovered that the shortfall wasn’t nearly as bad as it was originally reported, but the county was warned they were headed in the wrong direction if a few changes weren’t made.  

Cowles watched all of this play out during her campaign and is excited for the opportunity to be a part of the solution.  

“I look forward to representing the taxpayers and basing every decision I make, with them in mind,” she said. “I want to make decisions that will help move the county in a direction that our children and grandchildren will benefit from.”  

    Melissa Cowles